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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. season — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mate — to breed
  7. march — music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. charge — electricity
  10. current — electric
  11. court — for sport
  12. mate — a friend
  13. court — of a king
  14. season — of the year
  15. court — of law
  16. current — of water
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — in control
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bound — tied together
  23. current — happening now
  24. bound — certain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com